Friday Night Big Splash!
We spent this evening at the pool. Not unusual, Jona’s at the pool at least 5 nights a week. But tonight was the spirit rally for the season kick-off! Jona’s been on the swim team for 4 years now. He loves it! The coaches all know him well, and his swimming has much improved. Jona is now our #1 freestyle swimmer, and #3 breaststroke swimmer.
Although he has practiced with them for 2 years, this is Jona’s first official year with the dive team. Tonight I learned that the dive team coach isn’t exactly familiar with our situation. The coach joked about how usually the diver tries only to make a SMALL splash, but at the mid-town meet tomorrow those little splashes are going to make a BIG splash! One by one, the coach introduced each diver and called for the parents to come down and throw their diver into the pool. Jonathon, as the newest member of the team, was last. I saw the all-too-familiar look of pain on Jona’s face as his name was read and the call for his parents was heard over the loudspeaker. I knew what he was thinking. I knew what he was feeling. I could see the pain in his eyes.
As I walked across the pool deck, I thought to myself “Now how am I supposed to throw this kid who is as big as I am into the pool?” I was hoping he’d just jump in! But I needn’t have worried. As I approached Jona, two of the swim team coaches came off the bench grinning, grabbed Jonathon and effortlessly tossed him FAR into the pool!
On the way home, Jona confided “I was going to pull you in with me, Mom!” to which I laughingly responded “You’d have been walking home, you know that, don’t you?” and he replied “Yeah – but it would’ve been worth it!” and as he grinned at me I realized that in that moment he looked and sounded just like his Dad.
All said, it was a good night.
Although he has practiced with them for 2 years, this is Jona’s first official year with the dive team. Tonight I learned that the dive team coach isn’t exactly familiar with our situation. The coach joked about how usually the diver tries only to make a SMALL splash, but at the mid-town meet tomorrow those little splashes are going to make a BIG splash! One by one, the coach introduced each diver and called for the parents to come down and throw their diver into the pool. Jonathon, as the newest member of the team, was last. I saw the all-too-familiar look of pain on Jona’s face as his name was read and the call for his parents was heard over the loudspeaker. I knew what he was thinking. I knew what he was feeling. I could see the pain in his eyes.
As I walked across the pool deck, I thought to myself “Now how am I supposed to throw this kid who is as big as I am into the pool?” I was hoping he’d just jump in! But I needn’t have worried. As I approached Jona, two of the swim team coaches came off the bench grinning, grabbed Jonathon and effortlessly tossed him FAR into the pool!
On the way home, Jona confided “I was going to pull you in with me, Mom!” to which I laughingly responded “You’d have been walking home, you know that, don’t you?” and he replied “Yeah – but it would’ve been worth it!” and as he grinned at me I realized that in that moment he looked and sounded just like his Dad.
All said, it was a good night.
posted by kateandjona at
5:54 AM
3 Comments:
Oh ya, Jonathon, it would have SO been worth it! The look on your mom's face would have absolutely priceles!!!
Good luck this year, Hon!
By
Chaos Mommy, at 7:26 PM
Came across your blog in a search for Swim Coach. I am an assistant coach at a YMCA in Des Moines, IA. I will keep you in my bookmarks. Swimming is a passion of mine and I love to read of children's accomplishments!
I then went on to read more posts and had tears come to my eyes on many of them. Stay strong for each other! God is with us!
By
Julie, at 7:46 PM
Bless your "foster parents" for knowing you needed a hand and stepping in.
Is it a long walk home? LOL! I might have risked it myself.
By
Valerie - Still Riding Forward, at 9:58 PM
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